SINGAPORE APPROVES WHITE PAPER ON HEALTH POLICY

The Singapore parliament approved a White Paper last month setting out the government's basic health policy and its strategy to control rising health cost. The government has accepted the Paper's recommendations.

The White Paper, prepared by a ministerial committee of Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong's government, said the state will guarantee Singaporeans a good and affordable basic health care package covering most illnesses. Excluded from the package are items like cosmetic surgery, surgery for sex change, in vitro fertilization and "aggressive treatment for incurable diseases."

Singapore opposes state welfarism, and does not encourage government subsidies, doles or free medical treatment for Singaporeans having jobs and/or savings under the Central Provident Fund, a government compulsory old-age savings scheme. Both employers and workers must contribute to the funds a fixed percentage of an employees monthly pay. The government will, as far as possible, rely on competition and market forces to improve the efficiency of the health care system. But where the market fails to keep health care costs down, it will intervene directly. Even destitute persons who cannot afford to pay will be deprived of basic health care. The White Paper said that although Singapore's health care costs are lower than many countries, they are expected to rise as the population ages and the economy matures.